The invention relates to a holding device for test samples, in particular tablets and the like.
A testing device for examining test samples in the form of tablets in respect of weight, thickness and breaking strength is known from West German Utility Model No. 84 02 581. In this device the samples are intermittently conveyed by means of a conveying device to a balance, to a thickness gauge and to a gauge for carrying out the breaking strength test. In the breaking strength test, the tablet rests on a base plate, engages an abutment on one side and is pressed by a post against the abutment from the side opposite to the abutment. The force which is exerted by the post to the tablet and which is just enough to break the tablet is the characteristic mechanical value of the tablet which is to be measured. There are no problems when measuring the breaking strength of tablets having lenticular or spherical shapes since the tablets take--because of their particular symetrical shape--automatically the correct position between the abutment and the post as long as they are held down on the base plate. However, when the tablet samples are rod-shaped, elongated, oval or heart-shaped, there is the problem to correctly align the samples between the abutment and the post. The correct alignment is defined such that the longitudinal axis of a rod-shaped sample or the longer diameter axis of an elongated or oval sample is orientated in the direction in which the post exerts a force on the sample. In the case of heart-shaped samples, the force must be applied in the direction from the bottom (peak) of the heart to the top. If the samples are not orientated in the desired direction during the breaking strength test, the measurements are incorrect.